Femili PNG’s Lae Operations Manager, Ms Denga Ilave, was invited to speak at a public hearing held by the Special Parliamentary Committee on Gender Based Violence (GBV) on the 24th of May 2021.
Ms. Ilave spoke passionately of the challenges facing survivors of gender based violence and of the need for justice to be applied equally to all perpetrators, regardless of profile or status:
“We need arrests. We need justice for this vulnerable community. If the police could effect arrests it gives a strong message out to the community that this is totally wrong.”
She also called on the government to strengthen access to essential services for survivors. She recommended the government include family court magistrates in every district court in the country.
Ms. Ilave also discussed the important work that Femili PNG does:
“When survivors are registered in our case management centre, we walk with them. For those that are illiterate, we assist them with statement writing… For women who need medical assistance we assist them to family support centres. If they require other services… we assist them.”
You can watch Ms Ilave’s speech here, or read Ms Ilave’s edited testimony in the DevPolicy Blog here.
The Special Parliamentary Committee on Gender Based Violence aims to understand the challenges faced by survivors and service providers and to provide recommendations to the parliament on the way forward.
